In this edition ...

Todd Roberts believes anyone who wants to become a teacher has a story to tell. 

“And the stories they have are amazing,” he said. 

As director of the Kansas Future Teachers Academy (KFTA) and an instructor of education at Emporia State University, Roberts has had a front row seat to the stories of Kansas high school and college students who want to teach, some who have had to overcome obstacles.  

In the latest episode of the KSDE Insight Podcast, Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson and his guests explore the growing concern of chronic absenteeism and its impact on student success.  

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly this week celebrated 35 Topeka USD 501 educators who recently completed the Foundations of the Science of Reading: Understanding and Applying Structured Literacy Principles, the Kansas Board of Regents Blueprint for Literacy's structured literacy training course.  

Registration is open for the annual Counting KIDS workshops in August and September led by Laurel Murdie, KSDE director of fiscal auditing, and Kyle Lord, KSDE assistant director of information technology.  

*Please note: Since Sept. 20, 2025, falls on a Saturday, Count Day moves to the first school day following Sept. 20, which is Monday, Sept. 22.